We are NOT walking away from 26/11 case: Clinton

January 29, 2013 21:43 IST

The United States on Tuesday said bringing to justice the perpetrators of 26/11 was still an 'unfinished business' which was high on its priority list, days after Pakistani American Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorist David Headley was sentenced to 35 years in jail by a Chicago court.

"We are not walking away. This is one of our very high priorities," US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told an Indian journalist while responding to a question related to the Mumbai terror attack and Headley's sentencing.

"Bringing to justice the perpetrators of 26/11 is still an unfinished business," Clinton said while interacting with global audiences through the internet at a 'Global TownHall'.

The sentence for Headley under a plea bargain -- for his role in plotting the Mumbai terror attack -- left India majorly disappointed.

Under the plea bargain agreement Headley reached with the US government, he could have been sentenced to life imprisoment, but the prosecutors only sought a maximum of 35 years for the rogue agent, leaving a slight possibility that the 52-year-old

might walk out of prison at the end of his sentence.

India had pressed for the extradition of Headley but that was ruled out after the LeT operative agreed to cooperate with the US agencies.

Clinton, who is set to leave the State Department, also reminded Pakistan of the need to take action against militants operating from its soil.

"We have continued to press the Pakistani government. Terrorists inside Pakistan first and foremost (are) a threat to Pakistan," she said.

Clinton, 65, who had an eventful tenure, was addressing the Global Town review ahead of her last day in office as Secretary of State on February 1. The interaction included questions from six prominent news channels from across the world.

Networks participating via satellite included BBC from the United Kingdom, Channels TV from Nigeria, MBC from Lebanon, NHK from Japan, NTN24 from Columbia and NDTV from India.